Collars for wear



March 15, 1960 L. BIHALY COLLARS FOR WEAR Filed Aug. 25, 1955 FIG. I

FIG. 2

1,928,09 r COLLARS non WEAR Lajos Bihaly, Mayfair, London, England, assiguor to Trubenised Company (Registered Trust), Vaduz, Liechten' stein Application August 23, 1955, Serial No. 539,298

Claims priority, application Great Britain February 4, 1955 Claims, (Cl. 2-431) This invention relates to folded or turn-down collars for shirts and other garments and is' applicable both to detachable collars and to those permanently attached to the shirt or other garment. The invention is concerned with collars in which the outer portion or collar top has a greater stiffness than the inner portion or band, an

arrangement which is frequently desired, particularly in V the case of collars permanently attached to shirts.

In conventionally made collars, in whichthe collar top and the band are made up separately, usually from the three superimposed plies of fabric stitched together alOng their margins, and the two parts are subsequently joined together by a stitched seam, known as the collar banding seam, differential stiffness can easily be obtained by using different materials for the internal .ply, or interlining, of the two parts of the collar. In particular, the band may be of ordinary soft collar construction while the collar-top is of fused semi-stiff construction. In such a case, the interlining of the band is usually of ordinary textile fabric, while theinterlining of the collar top is a mixed fabric consisting mainly of cotton but containing also spaced threads of cellulose acetate. After the collar has been made up, it is treated with a solvent for the cellulose acetate and subjected to heat and pressure, thereby efi'ecting the fusion, or adhesion together, of the plies of the collar top, while the plies of the band remain separate from one another. However, these usual methods and materials can be varied in many ways.

In so-called one-piece collars, with which the present invention is concerned, the collar top is cut integral with the band, the fabric of the plies being continuous across the folding of the collar, so that the above described method of obtaining differential stiffness between the two parts of the collar cannot be adopted. It has been proposed to cut the interlining of such a one-piece collar from a specially Woven fabric having zones of different stiffness, the boundary between the two zones coinciding with the foldline of the collar. In order that the collar shall sit correctly in wear, the foldline is necessarily curved, concave towards the inner or band edge of the collar, so that the preparation of such an interlining requires the use of special looms and Weaving techniques.

In accordance with the present invention a one-piece collar having the collar top stiffer than the band contains an interlining which is divided along a straight line extendinglongitudinally of the collar into two diiferentiy constituted zones such that the outer portion of the collar is of greater stifiness than the inner portion and the collar is made to fold preferentially along the desired curved line by separate foldline determining means extending along a line which coincides at its ends with the line of division between the two parts of the interlining and extends intermediate its ends into the stiffer part of the collar. I v

The invention will be. more readily understood from thefollowing description thereof, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings in which:

er r 2,928,093 Patented, Nile-11'-v 15, .1960

Figure 1 is a plan view of a collar according to the invention in its open, 'i.e. non-folded condition. Figure 2 is a section on the line lI-II of Figure 1 represented on a larger scale than Fig. 1. n

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a piece of fabric from which interlinings according to this invention may be cut.

Referring to these drawings the collar comprises a face ply 3, a backing ply 5 and an interlining 4 (Figure 2) all arranged in superimposed relationship. The interlining is divided by a straight line, represented in Fig. 1 by the chain-dotted line 6 extending longitudinally of the collar, into two differently constituted parts such that the outer or cape portion 7 is of greater stiffness than the inner or band part 8. interposed between the face ply 3 and the interlining is a tape or other foldline determining means 9 disposed along a curved line which coincides at its ends with the line 6 and extends intermediate its ends into the stiffer part 7 of the collar. Preferably, the interlining comprises a single fabric ply as in FigureZ extending over the full area of the collar and divided along the said straight line of division into two integrally united parts 7 and 8 of different weave and/or composi-j tion. Theinvention also includes textile fabricsjsuitable for making collar interlinings of this latter kind.

The two zones of the interlining which bound one another, as already stated, along a definite straight line, may be inherently of different stiffness, or one zone only may contain threads of cellulose acetate, or other p0 tentially adhesive elements, which are subsequently fused to increase the stiffness of the part of the collar containing that zone of the interlining. The adhesive elements may serve either to bond together the plies of the collar, or simply to effect internal bonding of the interlining ply,

which is thereby stiffened without being adhered to the be cut from a specially produced fabric in which strips or zones 17 and 17a containingthermoplastic threads alternate wit-h zones 18 which do not contain'suc-h threads. As shown in Fig. 3, some of the zones may be of double the required width. The fabric may be divided along longitudinal lines 19. and cross-lines 29 before the individual collars are cut out. Obviously, various types of threads and various arrangements of these threads may be used to form the different fabriczones.

The differently constituted zones of such an interlining fabric do not differ markedly in appearance from one another and to facilitate identification of the zones and correct cutting out of blanks from the fabric coloured threads is may be included in the fabric at suitable positions. For example, a single coloured thread may be provided at each of the boundaries between adjacent zones, the two types of zone being readily distinguished by their different widths, but the numbers and positions of the identification threads may be varied as desired.

A particular form of interlining fabric in accordance with the invention is a plain weave fabric having zones consisting wholly of cotton yarns alternating with zones consisting of two cotton yarns and one cellulose acetate yarn alternately, a single coloured yarn 16 being included at each of the boundaries between adjacent zones, while all the remaining yarns are uncoloured. The all cotton zones 18 each have a width of some 2 /2 inches and the mixed zones 17 interposed betweenthem each have a width of some '6 inches, but two mixed zones 17a of half this width arenprovided adjacent the .selvedges of the fabric.

'acaaoss Inter-linings 14 for individual collars are cut from this fabric so that each all cotton zone forms the band portions of two rows of interlinings, while the top portions of two rows of interlinings are formed from each mixed zone, except the two half width marginal zones, which form part of only a single row of interlinings. Alternate rows of interlinings are thus reversed in position and they are also staggered longitudinally, so that the ends of the band portions of two adjacent interlinings in one row lie opposite the centre of the band portion of an interlining in the adjacent row. This arrangement is economical of material in that it allows the use of narrower all cotton zones, which are dissected along sinuous lines to separate the rows of interlinings.

Instead of locating the coloured threads at the interzone boundaries, they may be placed along the centre lines of all the cotton zones, or of the mixed zones, or of both types of zone. The coloured threads then serve as guides in dissecting the fabric but are trimmed away at a later stage of manufacture and do not appear in the finished collars. I

Since the desired foldline, or line of division between the band and top, is curved, it cannot be made to coincide with a line of division between zones of the interlining and the band will always contain a thin segment of mixed fabric, which will result in stiffening of that part of the band when manufacture of the collar is com-' pleted. However, this arrangement produces an accept- V ably soft collar band and a generally satisfactory collar, provided that the collar includes foldline determining means other than the line of division between the zones of the interlining fabric, which alone would produce an undesired straight foldline.

The foldline determining means used preferably consist of a tape. The tape may have a width great enough (say, inch) for it to cover completely the segment of mixed fabric which lies in the band of the collar. However, other foldline determining means and other methods of manufacture can be employed.

The zoned fabrics described above may also be used for the production of collars in which the part of the interlining lying on the outer side of the straight line of division is itself stiffened, as compared with the part lying on the inner side of that line, but is not adhered to the other plies of the collar, the collar'plies being separate from one another except for their marginal stitched connection. However in producing collars of this kind it is generally preferable to employ a'modified form of interlining fabric.

In making collars of the kind last referred to fusion of the thermoplastic material contained in the interlining must be so effected that this material serves only to bond together the constituent threads of the interlining itself, thereby increasing the stiffness of this fabric, and does not serve to unite the interlining to the outer plies of the collar. This result may be obtained in two different ways. The interlining fabric may be of ordinary weave, as described above, so that the thermoplastic threads are exposed on the faces of the fabric, the fusing operation being carried out before the interlining is assembled with the other plies of the collar. the fusing operation is not carried out until after the collar has been made up, the interlining remaining soft and unstifiened during the making up ofthe collar.

In this case the interlining fabric is so woven that the thermoplastic strands which it contains are buried within the thickness of the fabric and are not exposed on the surfaces in contact with the outer plies of the collar, so that no adhesion between the plies is caused when the thermoplastic material is fused.

One-piece collars having only the end portions of the collar top stiffened may be produced by the use of any of the materials and procedures described above with the difference that only'the end portions-of the inter- More conveniently,

lining are subjected to the fusing treatment, so that the central portion remains soft and unstiffened.

In making collars of the kind in which the interlining is not adhered to the outer plies of the collar, the interlining fabric used may be of the zoned construction last described, the thermoplastic threads included in alternate zones being buried within the thickness of the fabric and not exposed on either face. Blanks (or pieces from which shaped blanks can later be cut) are cut from this fabric so that their collar top portions are formed wholly from thermoplastic-containing zones and their band por' tions are formed as completely as possible from wholly non-thermoplastic zones. The end portions only of these blanks or pieces are dipped in, or otherwise treated with, a solvent for the thermoplastic material and the blanks (or the treated parts of them) are subjected to heat and pressure to fuse the thermoplastic material and effect internal bonding of the fabric and thereby stiffen the end parts of the collar top portion. The collar is then made up in known manner using the specially prepared interlining blank or piece.

Collars of the kind in which the collar plies are adhesively united together, may be made with only the ends stiffened by using interlining material so woven that the thermoplastic threads are exposed on the face of the fabric. After making up the collar, using interlining blanks cut from this fabric as described above, the end portions only of the collar are treated with solvent and the collar subjected to heat and pressure to fuse the collar plies together over the end portions only of the collar top, the central portion of the collar top and substantially the whole of the band remaining unstiffened and with the plies separate from one another.

The zoned interlining fabrics used for making collars having interlinings which are bonded to the other plies of the collar or are bonded internally only may be woven from yarns spun from acetate and viscose rayon fibres, the proportions of such thermoplastic and non-thermoplastic fibres varying from one part of the fabric to another, so that localised fusing will be obtained, as required.

The stifiening of the outer part of the interlining of. collars which have their plies separate from one another is not necessarily effected by the fusion of thermoplastic elements contained in the interlining as described above. Interlining blanks for one-piece soft collars may be cut from aspecially Woven fabric in which zones of relatively thin, flexible weave alternate with zones of relatively thick, stiff weave. individual interlining blanks are cut from this material in such a way that they collar top portion lies Wholly in a stiff fabric zone Whileas' much as possible of the band portion lies in a soft fabric zone.

The stifiening of the collar top relative to the collar band. offers particular advantages in the case of onepiece soft collars. in conventional collars, in which the collar top and band are out separately and are joined together by a stitched seam along the foldline of the collar, the collar top is cut with its foldline edge concavely curved, while the band is cut with its foldline edge either completely straight or curved (convexly) very much less sharply than the edge of the collar top. in making up the collar the substantially straight inner edge of the band is joined by the collar banding seam to the concave inner edge of the collar top and the completed collar will not lie completely fiat. The spring thus imparted to the collar top by the difference in curvature between the two parts of the collar plays an important part in determining the proper set of the collar in wear, the collar band tending to assume a cylindrical shape,

while the collar top tends to assume a frusto-conical shape, flaring outwardly and downwardly from the foldline.

In one-piece collars the fabric of the collar is continuous across the foldline, so that the foldline edges of thecollar top and band necessarily have the same form. By the incorporation in the collar of suitable foldline determining means the collar is made tofold preferentially along a line of appropriate curvature, concave towards the collar band. When the collar is folded about this line and the ends brought together, as in wear,

the collar top assumes the required downwardly iiaring frusto-co'nical form, but the hand then has a downwardly tapering frusto-conical form. I

In one-piece collars inwhich the collar top at is of fused construction, or is otherwise stiffened, the fabric isv sufiiciently rigid to. keep the shape described during wear, the upper part of the band standing away from the neck of the wearer. In a soft collar, however, both the band and the collar top tend to assume in wear a cylindrical form, the actual foldline departing at its least ends from the intended foldline and becoming straight, or

. nearly so.

The undesired effect last described is prevented or reduced. in extent, by the use in a one-piece soft collar of an interlining of which the portion that lies in the collar top is substantially more rigid than the portion which lies in the band of the collar. The collar top then behaves in much the same way as one of fused construction, retaining a downward flare from a-c'urved fold line during wear.

' As in the case of the collars first described (in' which all the plies ofthe outer portion, or collar top. are ad hesively united together to produce the stiffening), it

is necessary for collars in accordance with the invention and having the interlining separate from the outer plies (whether or not the interlining is internally bonded to stiffen it) to include foldline determining means other than the line of division between the, zones of the interlining, which alone would produce an undesired straight foldline.

The foldline-determining means used is preferably a tape, which may be a plain, single strip of material.

The foldline-determining' tape may be located (in'the fabric and the enhanced stiffness resulting from fusion, or the adhesive elements maybe distributed of both the stiffer and the softer zones. In the latter case the stiffer zones of the interlining fabric may be of'about the same composition and substance as the interlining fabrics commonly used for fused collars while the cotton and cellulose acetate yarns composing the softer zones are substantially finer and more loosely woven together. i ,The band of a collar made from such an interlining neckband portion and comprising superimposed face and backing plies, an interlining interposed between the face and backing plies and composedof two distinct zones ofv material bounding one another along a definite straight line extending longitudinally of the collar, one'ofsaid' A zones being stiffer than the other zone, said stiffer zone having a major part in said cape. portion, said other zone being in said neckband portion whereby the cape porfinished collar) between the interlining and the back ply of the collar, but (particularly in the case of soft collars it may with advantage be disposed between the interlining and the top ply, that is the ply in contact with the neck of the wearer. The presence of a narrow relatively rigid zone at the top of the band immediately below the foldline assists materially in' retaining the conical shape of the top part of the band and maintaining the line of fold intended. 1

The foldline-determining tape is preferably secured adhesively to the interlining at least by means of adhesive material included inor carried byfthe tape itself. The tape may be adhesively secured to theinterlining before the latter is brought to lie betweenthe. top and back plies,

or not until after the plies have been brought to their final relative positions. In the latter case it is prefer able in a preliminary operation to secure the tape to the interlining, adhesively or otherwise, sufficiently firmly to hold the tape in position until the final securing operation is effected. In this case also the tape may be secured .adhesively to the top or back ply of the collar as well as to the interlining.

An interlining fabric having zones of different inherent .stiffness may also include-strands of cellulose acetate,

tion of the collar is of greater stiffness than the inner or band portion thereof, and foldline determining means extending longitudinally of the collar and disposed along a curved linejwhich substantially coincides at its ends with the straight boundary line between the two zones of the interlining and extends intermediate its ends only to one side of said boundary line said stiffer zone.

2. A collar in accordance with claim 1, in which the interlining comprises'a unitary fabric ply extending over the full area of the collar and said two zones laterally of the said straight boundary line are of different composition.

or other adhesivegelements, which are subsequently fused to stiffen the part of the collar in which they lie. These B adhesive elements may be confinedto the stiffer'zones of the interlining, so that the stiffness of the collar top is increased relative to that of the band by the combined effects of the greater inherent stiffness of the interlining 3. A collar in accordance with claim 1, in which said stiffer zone contains adhesive elements and is adhesively bonded by said elements to said face and backing plies while the other zone of said interlining is free of the face and backing plies.

4. A collar in accordance with claim 1, in which the interlining is free ofthe face and backing plies over its whole areaand has constituent threads at least some of I which are adhesively bonded together in said stiffer zone,

while in said other zone of the interlining the constituent .threads are not so bonded.

5. A collar in accordance with claim 1, in which the interlining is free of face and backing plies over its whole area and has constituent threads some of which are adhesively bonded together, said bonded threads forming end regions of said stiffer zone.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,055,051 Knowles Mar. 4, 1913 2,081,136 DiIuglio May 25, 1937 2,156,704 Seman r May 2, 1939 2,639,433 Liebowitz May 26, 1953 7 2,727,243 Macrides Dec. 20, 1955- FOREIGN PATENTS 307,346 Great Britain Feb. 27, 1930 

